PPPO recommends 18 towns as drug-free
PDEA DECLARATION AWAITED
EIGHTEEN more towns were recommended by the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) to the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to be declared drug-free.
The towns recommended to be declared drug-free are Anda, Bolinao, Burgos, Dasol, Mabini, Aguilar, Basista, Labrador, Sison, Natividad, San Nicolas, San Quintin, Sta. Maria, Mapandan, Bautista, Bugallon, Alcala and Tayug.
P/Sr. Superintendent Ronald Lee, police provincial director, told the press conference at Dagupan City Police Station last Wednesday, that once the 18 are validated by PDEA, the number of drug-free towns in Pangasinan will be 21.
The towns of Laoac and Agno, and Alaminos City were the first to be declared drug-free.
Alaminos City, Lee pointed out, is the first city in the country declared as drug-free while Sto. Tomas town is the lone municipality in Pangasinan not affected by illegal drugs.
Lee clarified that it is PDEA that issues the certification declaring towns and cities as drug free following validation by an oversight committee.
However, Lee assured that they are still on target in clearing all the 48 towns and cities in Pangasinan by the end of December this year despite the slow validation by PDEA which is greatly undermanned.
He admitted that PPPO does its own validation by revisiting barangays already declared cleared of drugs to ensure that the illegal drug trade will not return.
“We will continue with our operations against illegal drugs, particularly the One-Time, Big Time Operations because we want to finish the task given us ahead of time,” he told newsmen. (Leonardo Micua)
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